He was concerned to make it clear that he was not wholly beguiled.
"Is there, then, for a man choice of fashion or time in England, effendi ?" asked Nahoum, with assumed innocence.
"In England it is a matter between the Giver and Taker of life and himself--save where murder does its work," said David.
"And here it is between man and man--is it that you would say ?" asked Nahoum.
"There seem wider privileges here," answered David drily.
"Accidents will happen, privileges or no," rejoined Nahoum, with lowering eyelids.
The Prince intervened.

"Thy own faith forbids the sword, forbids war, or--punishment." "The Prophet I follow was called the Prince of Peace, friend," answered David, bowing gravely across the table.
"Hast thou never killed a man ?" asked Kaid, with interest in his eyes.
He asked the question as a man might ask another if he had never visited Paris.
"Never, by the goodness of God, never," answered David.
"Neither in punishment nor in battle ?" "I am neither judge nor soldier, friend." "Inshallah, thou hast yet far to go! Thou art young yet.

Who can tell ?" "I have never so far to go as that, friend," said David, in a voice that rang a little.
"To-morrow is no man's gift." David was about to answer, but chancing to raise his eyes above the Prince Pasha's head, his glance was arrested and startled by seeing a face--the face of a woman-looking out of a panel in a mooshrabieh screen in a gallery above.

He would not have dwelt upon the incident, he would have set it down to the curiosity of a woman of the harem, but that the face looking out was that of an English girl, and peering over her shoulder was the dark, handsome face of an Egyptian or a Turk.
Self-control was the habit of his life, the training of his faith, and, as a rule, his face gave little evidence of inner excitement.
Demonstration was discouraged, if not forbidden, among the Quakers, and if, to others, it gave a cold and austere manner, in David it tempered to a warm stillness the powerful impulses in him, the rivers of feeling which sometimes roared through his veins.
Only Nahoum Pasha had noticed his arrested look, so motionless did he sit; and now, without replying, he bowed gravely and deferentially to Kaid, who rose from the table.

He followed with the rest.